Zelenskiy sacks Ukraine’s ambassador to UK after criticism

KYIV, July 21 (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sacked Vadym Prystaiko as Ukraine’s ambassador to Britain on Friday, days after the envoy publicly criticized the president.

A presidential order, which said Prystaiko had also been removed from his post as Ukraine’s representative to the International Maritime Organization, gave no reason for the dismissal.

In an interview with Sky News last week, Prystaiko was asked about remarks by outgoing British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace suggesting that Kiev should show more gratitude for arms deliveries from its allies to fight Russian occupation forces.

Zelenskiy responded by saying Ukraine was always grateful to Britain, a staunch ally. He was also quoted by British media as saying that Wallace could let him know how to express his gratitude or how “we could get up in the morning and express our words of gratitude to the Minister”.

Asked if Zelenskiy was being sarcastic, Prystaiko told Sky there was “a bit of sarcasm” when the president “said that every morning he would wake up and call Ben Wallace to thank him”.

“I don’t believe this sarcasm is healthy,” he said, adding that Russians “need to know that we are working together.”

Zelenskiy’s order does not specify who will replace Prystaiko, 53, an experienced diplomat and former deputy prime minister who served as ambassador to Britain for three years.

Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Kyiv Newsroom, Editing by Timothy Heritage

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